Jack Draper proved his high quality to achieve the semi-finals of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Alex de Minaur on Wednesday night time, says Sky Sports activities skilled Tim Henman.
Draper is but to drop a set on the event and is the primary participant to go 14-0 in units on the US Open since Emma Raducanu, who gained the event in 2021.
He was examined at occasions in his match with De Minaur and Henman believes that demonstrated Draper’s true capabilities.
“It’s absolutely brilliant. When I take my mind back to the [Tomas] Machac match, it was so straightforward. Jack played brilliantly but he never really had to deal with adversity,” Henman instructed Sky Sports activities Tennis.
“Dealing with adversity in any professional sport is the most difficult bit and [against De Minaur] there was plenty of adversity because he could get distracted by what was going on in the second set and that was where I think Jack showed mental fortitude, he showed maturity to find a way to come through it.”
He added: “I believe he might be so happy with so many alternative facets. He performed nice tennis. He clearly had his challenges bodily. It will be attention-grabbing to listen to how that leg is feeling.
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Highlights of the US Open quarter-finals match between Draper and De Minaur
“But additionally mentally – there have been a number of alternatives to get distracted on the market. He got here out, stamped his authority on the primary set and appeared snug after which within the second set he had a number of alternatives.
“But De Minaur’s never going to go away. He’s a great competitor and he hung in and suddenly [Draper] has to serve to stay in the second set at 4-5.
“He performed a few nice video games to carry serve, to interrupt serve after which to complete it off. Then at two units to like he was in such a robust place.”
Henman believes De Minaur will come again. “He is such a great competitor, he will get absolutely the most out of his recreation. His motion I believe is high three within the recreation. However with the hip damage he is had since Wimbledon it appeared like he was struggling,” he said.
“For him, he is determined to make that subsequent step. The following step for him is the semi-finals of a Grand Slam and he is come up quick.
“But I truly believe he will be back in quarter-finals again and make semis in the future.”
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Draper says it is a dream come true to achieve the US Open semi-finals
‘A lot firepower’
Sky Sports activities’ pundit Laura Robson stated:
“His ability to dictate play once he gets the first serve in just changes everything. He’s got so much firepower to his game.
“Somebody who’s such an awesome mover like De Minaur could not learn the forehand. He simply will get a lot rotation on the ball. From courtside the place I used to be the peak over the web of among the forehands was excellent as a result of the topspin price is excessive. He is nonetheless getting energy on the ball.
“It just allows him to move forward afterwards and then play the faster, flatter shots that he’s looking for all the time.
“It was simply… good.”
